Using a repair manual

Part 1. Preparation and safety

Objective

• Locate specifications and the correct procedure in a repair manual.

Personal safety

Whenever you perform a task in the workshop you must use personal protective clothing and equipment that is appropriate for the task and which conforms to your local safety regulations and policies. Among other items, this may include:

• Work clothing - such as coveralls and steel-capped footwear
• Eye protection - such as safety glasses and face masks
• Ear protection - such as earmuffs and earplugs
• Hand protection - such as rubber gloves and barrier cream
• Respiratory equipment - such as face masks and valved respirators

If you are not certain what is appropriate or required, ask your supervisor.

Safety check

• Make sure that you understand and observe all legislative and personal safety procedures when carrying out the following tasks. If you are unsure of what these are, ask your supervisor.

Points to note

• Repair manuals are produced by a second party publisher and provide information similar to a shop manual. However, the information contained in the repair manual will not be as specific as that contained in a shop manual.
• Repair manuals are designed so that the workshops that do not have access to shop manuals have a reference source for service and repair information and specifications.

Part 2: Step-by-step instruction

1. Understand information required
   Decide what information it is that you need to know about the job and about the vehicle. In this example the job is to replace the front brake disc pads. Make sure you know the make, model and year of manufacture of the vehicle.
2. Locate the appropriate manual
   In this case, the workshop does not have the shop manual for this type of vehicle, but it is likely that the information needed can be found in an aftermarket manual. Find the appropriate After Market Manual for the make, model and year of the vehicle you are working on.
3. Locate the correct section
   At the front of the Manual you will find an Introduction and a Table of Contents or a Section breakdown listing the various systems and components of the vehicle. Find the chapter on Brakes and turn to that page.
4. Locate the specifications
   This page gives you a further index of contents, for the chapter. It also gives you the manufacturer’s specifications for the various components of the braking system, in this case we are interested in the front disc brakes. It also has a guide to the torque wrench settings. Have these details handy when you are performing the procedure.
5. Locate the service procedures
   Find the section relating to the Front Disc Brakes, and turn to that page. The Manual shows the procedure for replacing the front disc pads. The photographs and diagrams will help you identify the parts of the assembly and the steps to follow.
6. Use the index as alternative
   Another way of finding the information you need is to use the Index at the back of the manual. Look under ‘B’ to find “Brakes” and you’ll see page references for Specifications, and, Front Disc. We are now ready to begin replacing the front disc pads.